Rod Stewart - Biography - IMDb Rod Stewart Biography Showing all 82 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (3) | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (38) | Personal Quotes (34) Overview (4) 5' 10" (1.78 m) Mini Bio (1) Rod Stewart was born on January 10, 1945 in Highgate, London, England as Roderick David Stewart. He has been married to Penny Lancaster since June 16, 2007. They have two children. He was previously married to Rachel Hunter and Alana Stewart . Spouse (3) ( 6 April 1979 - 1984) (divorced) (2 children) Trade Mark (2) Fifth child of Robert and Elsie Stewart. His brothers and sisters are Mary, Peggy, Don and Bob.

Has eight children: Sarah Thubron Streeter (born 1964) born to art student Susannah Boffey; Kimberly Stewart (born 21 August 1979) and Sean Stewart (born 1 September 1980) born to Alana Stewart (ex-wife of actor George Hamilton ; Ruby Stewart (born 17 June 1987), born to Kelly Emberg , his girlfriend at the time; Renee Stewart (born 1 June 1992), Liam McAlister Stewart (born 4 September 1994), born to ex-wife Rachel Hunter , a model, Alistair Wallace Stewart (born 27 November 2005) and Aiden Stewart (born 16 February 2011), born to wife Penny Lancaster . Contrary to popular belief, he was never a professional soccer player with Brentford Football Club before becoming a musician, this was one of many stories invented by his publicist when Rod was starting to hit the big time. Rod was successfully sued by Brazilian singer Jorge Ben Jor who claimed the tune to Rod's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" was too similar to his song "Taj Mahal".

Ben won the lawsuit and asked Rod to donate all his profits from the song to UNICEF. His daughter, Kimberly Stewart , designs shoes. Lead singer for the 1970s rock group The Faces . Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Gave his friend Elton John the nickname "Sharon". Covered Elton John 's hit song "Your Song". Although he was born in England and has English blood on his mother's side, he has Scottish blood on his father's side and prefers to be considered a Scotsman. In 1998, he bought the Victorian mansion Stargroves in Hampshire, which had previously belonged to Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones . He put on the first concert at SkyDome in Toronto, Canada in 1989. Voted the sexiest male spectacles wearer in a 2004 poll by Specsavers opticians. (March 9, 2005) Proposed to girlfriend Penny Lancaster at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

They married according to their plan, on board his yacht "Lady Anne MaGee" in the Portofino harbor, Italy, after his divorce from Rachel Hunter was finalized. Contray to rumor, he did not play the harmonica on Millie Small 's 1964 #2 hit "My Boy Lollipop", her credited as Millie. Underwent successful surgery for thyroid cancer in July 2000, and announced he was completely recovered in January 2001. In an early stage of The Kinks , before future frontman Ray Davies was willing to be the lead singer, they recruited Stewart (who grew up in the same neighborhood as the Davies brothers) as a singer. After a couple of weeks of trying to be a band, Stewart and the future Kinks found that they did not get along that well, with their musical tastes being too different, and parted ways. First artist to record the Burt Bacharach / Carole Bayer Sager song "That's What Friends Are For" (for the movie Night Shift (1982)), four years before it became a number one hit for Dionne Warwick , Elton John , Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder .

Was the original lead singer of the Jeff Beck Group. However, when the band was scheduled to appear at Woodstock he quit on the eve of the show due to the fact that his best friend Ronnie Wood , who was playing bass at the time, was kicked out. Is a supporter of Glasgow Celtic Football Club. Winner of the 1993 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to music. The story that Rod once worked as a gravedigger was another myth which he created with his publicist. (November 14, 2006) Inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture. Ranked #94 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists. Ranked #71 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll. Lives in Los Angeles, California.

Had relationships with Dee Harrington (1971-1975), Kelly Emberg (1983-1990), Bebe Buell and Britt Ekland . He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 11, 2005. Recorded several of his multi-platinum selling albums at Cherokee Recording Studios, including "A Night on the Town", "Footloose and Fancy Free" and "Blondes Have More Fun". The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $164 million. Discovered busking in a train station in the early 1960s by British blues pioneer Long John Baldry . Baldry was so impressed with Stewart's vocal prowess, he invited him to join his band, The Hoochie Coochie Men. Stewart has often admitted in interviews that he owes his great success to that chance meeting with Baldry.

When then-girlfriend Britt Ekland discovered that Rod was seeing other women, she filed a $12.5 million palimony suit, claiming that, as she had given up much of her career for him, she deserved a large portion of his income. The lawsuit was dismissed. When asked what he had like to have as his epitaph on Piers Morgan Tonight: Episode dated 30 March 2011 (2011), Stewart quipped, "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here.". During a period when first touring in the United States where rowdy Rod and his band were prohibited from staying in some hotels, the boys used to masquerade as Fleetwood Mac in order acquire accommodation. A lifelong collector of model trains, Stewart maintains an elaborate outlay in an upstairs room of his Los Angeles home that stretches the length of his house. Bases his layout scale on the 1940s New York Central and Pennsylvania line. (July 2, 2007) Performed at the "Concert for Diana" at the new Wembley Stadium in London, England.

He was awarded the Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Music and Charity. He is a singer and songwriter in Essex, England. Personal Quotes (34) Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house. [on looking young] The secret is to moisturise the face. I've been doing that since I was 17 years old. [on Brigitte Bardot ] She's the only woman I've ever had a sexual fantasy about. With me, looks come first, and she's everything a woman should be. She's blonde and beautiful, she's got the most incredible legs--et cetera, et cetera. And she's French as well. [on his former wife, Rachel Hunter , shortly after their break-up] She was the first woman who left me. [on being awarded the CBE] It's a marvellous occasion. We're the only country in the world to honour the common man. Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.

[on his move to Los Angeles, California] The British taxation in 1975 was absolutely crippling. I think about 84% of my income was going in income tax. And I wasn't inspired by the music scene in '73, '74, '75 either. I don't believe you should flaunt your wealth like Liberace or something. I don't know anybody that doesn't like being famous and anybody that doesn't like it shouldn't have thought about being famous in the first place. I think it's absolutely marvelous being famous. I love it. I like walking down the street and being recognised. I don't go out of my way to be recognised. I mean I don't go walking down the street in a pink satin suit. I don't think people expect Bruce Springsteen to come out in a pink satin jacket, but Rod Stewart they do. And I like doing it, I don't wear it just because I think I have to. I'm a very flamboyant person. I don't mind buying one round of drinks, but I am bloody well not going to buy another. I don't miss a penny. I get a daily statement about where every penny is going and every investment.

I wouldn't say I worry about money, but you never know what's around the corner. I worry more about my children's views on money sometimes. They've grown up privileged and it's an ongoing battle. They know the price of everything and the value of nothing. I've been lucky. I couldn't deal with it if I'd run out of barnet. Imagine me with a Bobby Charlton comb-over. My age group and our age group, the Stones [ The Rolling Stones ] and Elton [ Elton John ], it's hard to get on the radio. And it's hard to buy records now 'cos you can't buy 'em anywhere. My audience like to go in and buy records. [on Mick Jagger ] I've got utmost respect for Mick and the boys. I love 'em to death. He's a great singer, he's one of the greatest. He's not quite as good as me. I've always looked on myself as one of a band and never sought a solo career. It's always been a spiritual home, but as I don't live there I shouldn't comment on Scottish independence. If it's good for the Scots I'm happy.

I hope it's not a lot of kids thinking ' Braveheart (1995)'. I'd hate to see the union broken after all these years. And I don't think it will happen. I'm a romantic and like a one-on-one situation, candlelight and foreplay, all the old-fashioned things. There's never been much rivalry between any of our generation - well, maybe me and Elton [ Elton John ] but that's friendly. [on Mick Jagger ] Mick's a fine blues singer, but technically not as good as me. He's made the best of what he's got, but I don't think he could do standards and he may not want to. Every three years, Model Railroader puts me on their cover, which is better than Rolling Stone. [on Elton John ] The second-best rock singer ever. [on Tom Waits ] He's one of my favorite all-time songwriters. [on "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"] It certainly wasn't one of the best songs I've written.

It transformed me overnight into a sex symbol I suppose, for want of a better word, and everything that goes with that, and for a long time I believed everything I read about myself in the papers. People, when we do live shows, they love that song, everywhere around the world. I believe I'm a romantic. I can cry at sad films and I like candle-lit dinners. All depends what you describe as being a romantic. [on love songs] I've always written songs like that. I think it comes as the years go on, you mature a little bit and you want to write songs that are more loving songs. I've got a lot of English blood in me, not too much English blood, but I consider myself to be a fairly good lover, I've had no complaints. I've had no compliments either. When Scotland play England, I don't care if it's schoolboys or what it is, it's very serious.

[on the World Cup in 1986] If that had been an English goal when Maradona [ Diego Maradona ] handballed it, everyone would have said it was OK, it's just that it was on the other team, but I've got a feeling that none of the British teams could have won it, maybe it's about time we had a Great Britain team. It's only an idea. [on the World Cup in 1986] We played three, we weren't too good in the last one, but I was real proud of them. I was really proud of the British teams all round, not just Scotland. Being a football fan and playing Wembley, it's not like Wham! - I don't think are real football fans - but it means a hell of a lot to me. [on the suggestion his tax exile status could have prevented a knighthood] Mick [ Mick Jagger ] doesn't pay taxes here, and Tom [ Tom Jones ] lives in America. If my time comes, it will. And if it doesn't, I'm not bothered. Are you kidding? I never expected a CBE.

People said I went astray with Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? and they're absolutely right. I jumped on a bandwagon, but everyone loves it. It's my novelty song. I try to give the audience what they want, and sod the critics. Rod Stewart, Wife Penny Lancaster Separated for Two Weeks - Us Weekly Rod Stewart, Wife Penny Lancaster Separated for Two Weeks May 9, 2013 @ 4:50 PM By Brittany Galla Rod Stewart reveals that a two-week break up with wife Penny Lancaster inspired an added song on his new album. Credit: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Even after six years of wedded bliss, Rod Stewart, 68, and wife Penny Lancaster, 42, are no strangers to the ups and downs of marriage. In fact, the "Hot Legs" singer reveals to Australian magazine, Life, that he and Lancaster broke up for two weeks after an argument. He did not say when the split happened -- or the nature of their argument -- but reveals that the time apart inspired a song being added to his new record. "I cover Tom Waits' 'Picture In a Frame' on my new album, Time," Stewart told the magazine.

"Penny and I broke up for two weeks and the song is about that time. I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so that I could see her when I went to bed and when I woke up." Although the two were able to ultimately patch things up and focus on keeping their marriage intact, the dad of eight (he's previously been married to model Rachel Hunter and Alana Hamilton, ex-wife of actor George Hamilton), says the two-week break up made him reflect on his past relationships and love in general. "My relationship rule is, 'Don't argue after a glass of wine—leave debating until the morning,'" he said. "I have always loved women, won some, lost some, but it's not about the magic touch, it's about being a better person and a good listener." He continued, "I met Penny in my 50s and if I had not learned by that point in my life, I was never going to.” Of his failed marriages in the past, he told the magazine that rushing into a wedding was his biggest mistake. “Marriage is supposed to be a unison by two people," he explained. "I thought I was ready but I wasn’t.

I am against any of my kids marrying before 30.” Stewart and Lancaster have been dating since 1999 and got married in 2007. They have two children together -- Alastair, 8, and Aiden, 2. On Tuesday, May 7, he released his album Time. Add a Comment Rod Stewart Dishes On Divorce, Marriage, and Sexiness On 'Piers Morgan Tonight' (VIDEO) | The Huffington Post Rod Stewart Dishes On Divorce, Marriage, and Sexiness On 'Piers Morgan Tonight' (VIDEO) 03/31/2011 05:48 pm ET | Updated May 31, 2011 Ashley Reich Executive Relationships Editor, The Huffington Post Rod Stewart talked with CNN's Piers Morgan Wednesday night about marriage, divorce, and what he considers sexy. He confessed that the Playboy centerfolds he's been with don't have sex appeal. To him, sexiness is "an inner thing. It's a look in the eye. Almost a slight sluttiness, just a touch of it," he said.

Stewart married his first wife Alana Hamilton in 1979, though admitted to cheating on her throughout their 5-year union. "I shouldn't have gotten married," he told Morgan. "I was 35 when I got married and [my Dad] said 'You're too young to get married.' I said 'What Dad, I'm 35!' He said 'You're far too young you haven't lived yet.' He was right." His second wife, model Rachel Hunter, divorced the singer in 2006 after 16 years of marriage--a heartbreak that took time and therapy to get over. "Bl**dy hell did it [hurt]. Karma gets you! It was a good six months of laying upstairs, looking at the ceiling in bed, couldn't get out of bed, didn't drink for six months. That's how bad it was." Stewart said . Stewart recently had a son with his current wife Penny Lancaster-Stewart, whom he married in 2007. He told Morgan that there is no perfect age to get married.

"When it feels right and you've done all the shagging you want to do and it's time to grow up...I think then you decide that you can be loyal and faithful and committed then this is it, like I have now," he said. WATCH: More: Rod Stewart makes plea for teenage lover who bore his first child in new album Time | The Independent News Rod Stewart makes plea for teenage lover who bore his first child in new album Time Despite being happily married to Penny Lancaster, the crooner has broken a 20-year song-writing silence with an album about divorce, the daughter he put up for adoption, and his 17-year-old first love Wednesday 20 March 2013 19:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Culture Rod Stewart makes a plea for his long-lost love on new album Time Getty Images She was the art student who broke the teenage Rod Stewart’s heart and placed their baby daughter, born out of wedlock, up for adoption. Now rock’s great lothario has broken a 20-year song-writing silence by composing a heartfelt plea to the great lost love of his life.

After claiming he would never write a new lyric again, Stewart, 68, has surprised the music industry by unveiling a revelatory new album. Time, released in May, includes songs about Stewart’s formative years as a struggling singer, divorce (“I know a little about the devastation it causes,” he admits) and a tribute to the sexual powers of his third wife and mother of his eighth child, the model Penny Lancaster. The album’s centrepiece is Brighton Beach, which describes the passionate romance between the 17 year-old beatnik Rod, “a scruffy, teenage working class troubador” and the art student girl he idolised, which was consumated “under the stars” in 1963. “You were Greta Garbo, I was Jack Kerouac,” he sings.

But the girl’s father didn’t approve and one day Rod “woke to find you gone”, his “teenage heart scattered on the floor.” Fifty years later, Stewart appeals to her in song: “I swear to God, I could not have loved you anymore…I sit here playing with my kids and wonder where you are in this world…do you ever stop and think about me?” “It’s about a real girl, her name is Susannah Boffey,” Stewart told The Independent. “She was what I thought at 17 was my first love affair and she was the mother of my first child. She was adopted because we didn’t have a pot to piss in in those days.” Stewart explained: “There was no consideration of marriage and it was a real blot on your character to get a girl pregnant in those days. I was frightened to tell my mum and dad so I told my brothers and they said ‘we’ll take care of you.’” Stewart’s daughter, Sarah, was born in 1963 and spent several years moving between a series of children’s homes and foster carers. At the age of five, she was adopted by a couple in East Sussex.

Her mother, now Susannah Hourde, 68, who first met Stewart in a London nightclub in 1961, lives in Normandy, northern France. Has Stewart told her she is the subject of his new song? “She doesn’t know and neither does Sarah but she will love it. I’m very much in touch with Sarah now and we’ve just begun to call each other father and daughter which was hard because I didn’t change her nappies or take her to school. Her mum doesn’t want much to do with us, unfortunately.” After enjoying huge success with his collections from the Great American Songbook, Stewart, who has sold 200 million records, admitted: “My assumption was that I was finished as a songwriter. I was trapped down all sorts of unhelpful mental alleys.” Writing his autobiography unblocked the creative juices. Time includes "Sexual Religion", which details Rod’s first observation of Penny at the Dorchester hotel nightclub dancefloor. “You bring me to my knees…I’m hypnotised by your sexual religion,” Stewart sings lustily. Ms Lancaster danced along to the thumping track at a playback of Time at the Abbey Road studios.

She sat patiently through the single “It’s Over”, a recriminatory song about her husband’s divorces. “Divorce is the ruination of man,” he says. “I know a little about the devastation it causes. It’s the heartbreak for the kids that does me in.” Does Rod see a connection between his confessional return and Bowie’s comeback? “His album caught everybody by surprise. I wish him a lot of good luck and good health.” And then, with a twinkle, Stewart pretends to bite on his right arm. More about: Rod Stewart opens up about his 8 children and wife Penny Lancaster: 'She's won them over now' - Photo 1 Search Rod Stewart opens up about his 8 children and wife Penny Lancaster: 'She's won them over now' 1/5 Back to story March 15, 2016 by Ainhoa Barcelona At the age of 71, Rod Stewart is enjoying fatherhood more than ever before and he has his supportive wife Penny Lancaster, who he married in 2007, to thank More on: "She's won them over entirely now," said Rod of his wife and eight children.

"Really, really, she really has, she's a great girl." Photo: © Getty Images Rod and his third wife Penny, 44, have two sons together – Alastair, ten, and five-year-old Aiden. Photo: © Instagram Next year Rod and Penny plan to return to Portofino to renew their wedding vows on their tenth anniversary. Photo: © Rex Penny Lancaster: "The peaceful setting of St Paul" Photo: © Instagram Rod Stewart & Penny Lancaster | Celebrity couples with large age gaps - GoodLife GoodLife In the world of Hollywood, age is nought but a number, but which A-lister romances have the largest age gaps between them? By Saffron Alexander Ivan Krasko and Natalia Shevel Age gap: 60 years Russian actor Ivan Krasko, 84, married his 24-year-old fiancée Natalia Shevel , one of his former students, in a ceremony attended by close friends and family. Despite the age gap, the pair described their relationship as a "match made in heaven".

Credit: Photoshot Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart Age gap: 22 years Harrison Ford, 72, and his 50-year-old Calista Flockhart have been together since 2002 after he spilled wine on her dress. They had a casual wedding in 2010 where he wore jeans and she wore a sundress. Jeff Goldblum and Emilie Livingston Age gap: 30 years Actor Jeff Goldblum, 62, married the Olympic gymnast Emilie Livingston, 32, in November 2014. As a "wedding gift" the night before the event, she told him she was pregnant. The couple are expecting a son. Credit: Emilie Livingston Twitter Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster Age gap: 27 years Rocker Rod Stewart, 70, married model, Penny Lancaster, 43, in 2007.

They have two children together, though once broke up for two weeks: “I cover Tom Waits’ ‘Picture In a Frame’ on my new album,” the “Hot Legs".Penny and I broke up for two weeks and the song is about that time." Kelsey Grammer and Kayte Walsh Age gap: 25 years Kelsey Grammer, 60, was 13 years older than his ex-wife Camillie Grammer and is 25 years older than his current wife, 35-year-old Kayte Walsh. They married in 2011 and have two children together. Credit: EPA Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones Age gap: 25 years The couple, who share a birthday, met at the Deauville Film Festival in 1998, having been introduced by Danny DeVito. Catherine Zeta-Jones has said that when they first met, Michael Douglas said "I'd like to father your children." Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris Age gap: 60 years The third wife of Playboy creator Hugh Hefner, 89, Crystal Harris met him at a Playboy Mansion Halloween party in 2008.

She was named "Co-Ed of the week" that month and married on December 31, 2012. Billy Joel and Alexis Roderick Age gap: 33 years Singer Billy Joel, 66, married his fourth wife Alexis Roderick, 33, on July 4 2015 after having been together since 2009. Credit: AP Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Age gap: 23 years Johnny Depp, 52, married fellow actress Amber Heard, 29, in February 2015. Depp once said: "I've got a lot of life experience, certainly, but I don't feel like I'm looking down on her, or being her mentor. I actually feel like she's the one inspiring me.Sometimes even things that seem simple and obvious are scary.

Age, experience and wisdom give us the capacity to move beyond certain stages we didn't dare cross before." Rod Stewart admits that his ex-wife Rachel Hunter broke his heart | Celebrity News | Showbiz & TV | Daily Express CELEBRITY NEWS Rod Stewart admits that his ex-wife Rachel Hunter broke his heart FAMOUS for romancing many a blonde beauty Rod Stewart now believes second wife Rachel Hunter leaving him in 2006 was his “comeuppance” after being a womaniser for so many years. 00:00, Thu, May 29, 2014 Rachel was 21 when she met Rod[GETTY] The father of eight, who has been married three times, tells Woman’s Weekly: “Rachel Hunter broke my heart. "It was painful but it was a learning lesson. "I knew it was my comeuppance. "I’d broken all those hearts in the past – now it was my turn.” Rod, who married the New Zealand born model in 1990, adds: “She was 21 when we met. "I like formal dinners, getting dressed up and meeting on the staircase. "She wanted – I discovered later – to be like a normal kid, dressing in her jeans.

It was painful but it was a learning lesson Rod Stewart "But we get on great now and [third wife] Penny gets on great with Rachel. "In fact all the exes get on so I think I must have done something right.” The 69-year-old, who has been married to Penny Lancaster, 43, since 2007, insists he can’t imagine life without female company. “I’ve always had a woman in my life,” he points out. “I’m not good at being on my own. "I enjoy women’s company. “I’ve taken a lot of risks but I’ve never gambled or smoked – women don’t like that. "I’ve always loved women; won some, lost some but it’s not about a magic touch, it’s about being a better person and a good listener.

"My relationship rule is never argue over a glass of wine; leave debating until the morning.” Most read in TV & Radio Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster celebrate birth of boy - BBC News BBC News Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster celebrate birth of boy 17 February 2011 Close share panel Image caption The couple conceived their second child after three cycles of IVF Rock star Rod Stewart has become a father for the eighth time at the age of 66 after his wife, Penny Lancaster, gave birth to a boy. Aiden was born on Wednesday in the UK weighing 7lb 12oz. A statement released on the couple's behalf said they were "proud and thrilled" and both mother and child were healthy. Aiden is Stewart and Lancaster's second child, their first son is five-year-old Alastair. The statement said: "After the long-awaited arrival of their second child, Rod and Penny are proud and thrilled to welcome Alastair's baby brother, Aiden, into the world. "Mother and baby are healthy and blissfully happy." The couple had problems conceiving naturally and Lancaster, 39, became pregnant on the third cycle of IVF treatment.

In a magazine interview last year, she revealed she was pregnant and discussed the difficulties they had experienced. Recalling the moment she found out she was expecting, she told Hello! magazine: "I couldn't believe it. I burst into tears. I called Rod when I was still sobbing." Stewart married Lancaster, his third wife, in Italy in 2007. The couple, who have been together for a decade, discovered they were expecting again while celebrating their wedding anniversary in Portofino, Italy. Stewart has six children from previous relationships. He had a son and a daughter with first wife Alana Hamilton and a daughter in 1987 with model girlfriend Kelly Emberg. Stewart's marriage to Rachel Hunter, which ended in divorce four years ago, produced two children. The star also had a daughter, Sarah, in the early 1960s, who was adopted into another family. Penny Lancaster interview about life with Rod Stewart: "Splitting up from me was like a wake-up call for Rod" - Mirror Online Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Music legend Rod Stewart admits that he’s a changed man since marrying third wife Penny Lancaster.

The former lothario is now a hands-on dad but regularly whisks his wife away for romantic breaks and ensures they get to make love “three quality times a week”. In fact, the Stewarts’ 10-year marriage is often cited as one of the happiest in showbiz and their remarkably normal family life with sons Alastair, seven, and Aiden, two, belies the fact that it’s lived in three homes on two continents thanks to Rod’s £120million fortune. So it came as a bit of a shock when the rocker recently revealed that a song on his new album Time was inspired by Penny walking out on him. “We broke up for two weeks and the song – Tom Waits’ Picture In A Frame – is about that time,” says Rod, 68. “I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so that I could see her when I went to bed and when I woke up.” I’m now sitting across from Penny Lancaster-Stewart, 42, delicately trying to raise the subject of their, um, marital difficulties.

Penny bursts out laughing at my “understand these things are hard to talk about” preamble and says: “It was 13 years ago – in the first month of our relationship! “After Rod mentioned it people were going ‘What? Rod and Penny split up?’ and thought it happened last week. We’d met in 1999 and we’d started having a few dates but we weren’t really together. Then I just stopped seeing him. I said ‘Look, this isn’t for me, great to have met you, blah, blah, blah’ and he said ‘Well, can I keep a photo of you in a frame?’ “I thought ‘Erm... that’s weird!’ But it must have stuck in his head all this time for him to have made the connection with that track. “I actually think it might have been his wake-up moment – kind of ‘What am I doing letting her go?’ Bless him!” Penny and Rod on the red carpet (Photo: Getty Images) Penny’s face lights up when she talks about “my husband”. She says: “He really is hugely romantic – champagne, flowers, candlelit dinners... all of that.

“We’re so fortunate that we can do lovely family stuff together then if my mum or the nanny’s around Rod and I get to have our moment together. “We recently had a lovely, romantic few days in Portofino – where we got married – before the kids came and joined us in half-term. “It’s very important to have ‘Mummy and Daddy time’ together. “People often say that if you have to work hard at a marriage then it’s not naturally good, but I think that’s totally wrong. Rod and I are naturally in love and that is what binds us together. But to keep the spark alive in your relationship you really have to work at it. “You have to make sure you are still listening to one another and understanding each other’s needs because they do change throughout the years. “Our relationship is different now that we’ve got children and as we get older it will change again. “Communication, trust and honesty are vital, but so is running off and having a romantic night or weekend together.

It’s when we really reconnect.” Rod is in the middle of a 35-date sell-out tour and Penny admits it’s a “military operation” for the family to follow him around while making sure Alastair’s schooling isn’t disrupted. Penny and Rod with their sons Aiden, two, and Alastair, seven, along with Rod's daughter Kimberley and Penny's daughter Delilah (Photo: Getty Images) We meet in London where Penny, an ambassador for charity Breast Cancer Care, is picking up a bumper cheque for £1million raised by donations from customers and staff of BHS. The company has supported BCC for several years, selling badges and hosting events and has recently launched two bras for women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer. They are donating 10% from each bra sold to the charity. Penny has been working with BCC for five years. A decade ago her friend Maria Falco – the pal who first encouraged her to talk to Rod at a party – died from the disease. Then three years ago, Penny’s sister-in-law Louise – wife of her brother Oliver – was also diagnosed with advanced cancer.

Penny later told how she learned the news on the same day she and Rod discovered they were expecting their second child after three gruelling rounds of IVF. But, thankfully, Louise, 39, has made a remarkable recovery. Penny says: “She’s doing really well. Her mission was to get as fit as possible to reduce her chances of recurrence and make sure she goes on to lead a longer and happier life. She is so vibrant and has got so much energy, you would never think she had been affected by the disease. “Louise is a very strong woman and has been able to support other women in her area who have also been diagnosed with breast cancer. “When someone is first diagnosed it can be terrifying and they have so many questions – what does that mean, where do I go, who do I speak to? “The BCC helplines are wonderful – you don’t feel so alone. It’s like you’ve got an arm around you, comforting you. “And you can speak to other women who have been affected via the website forums. They can also put you in touch with specialist nurses and offer support to your partners and loved ones. “I’m very lucky because I haven’t got any family history of the disease.

But I went along with Louise to one of her consultations and the professor suggested I get checked out. I was still breast feeding then and he suggested once I’d finished I should give myself a few months and then go. “So I’ve been for two mammograms since and luckily they’ve been all clear. It is so important to raise awareness of the importance of self-examination and getting the slightest change checked out. “Currently 150 women a day are being given the news that they have got breast cancer – that’s 55,000 a year – and the earlier it is detected, the greater the chance of survival.” Penny Lancaster poses with her sister-in-law Louise Crocker (Photo: Getty Images) Penny looks trim and fit but admits travelling the world with Rod can make it difficult to stick to an exercise regime. She says: “It can end up being just a long walk in the countryside with the dog or pushing the pram around the park. “I’ve joined a gym in America with a girlfriend and we do lots of classes when we can. But I like changing it up – variety means you don’t get bored. “Aiden starts pre-school in September so I’ll have more time then.

It’s just a couple of mornings a week at first – I’m going to drag it out for a bit because I don’t like the idea of them both being at school. “We certainly won’t have any more children. I couldn’t go through that again. Rod and I had said back then that if the IVF didn’t work that was that. But we were incredibly fortunate it worked for us.” Penny’s phone beeps with a message. She looks at it and beams – “It’s the husband.” “I bought Rod a phone for Christmas – he hadn’t had one for 15 years – and now he’s texting. He’s outside in the car – he’s come to pick me up, bless him.” Then she adds: “I hope I didn’t sound like I was moaning about the tour and how much I’ve got to do. "Because I know it all pales into insignificance compared to the stresses and strains of the average person’s life. Rod and I are living a very charmed and fortunate life and I wouldn’t change it for the world.” BHS is an ongoing supporter of Breast Cancer Care and has recently launched two bras for women who have undergone breast cancer surgery.

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Question: Who is the third wife of Rod Stewart, they married in 2007?
Answer: PENNY LANCASTER